Sadly , though, she's still female, and this is still America. The boys come out on top no matter what. Think I'm wrong? Go back in time to 2016 and ask 53% of white women who they plan to vote for.
4
The perfect Democratic ticket: Biden and Harris, for all the obvious reasons.
5
So this lady with a West Indian (black) father and an East Indian (Hindu) mother is black is she? Just like Barack Obama, with a Kenyan father and a white American mother, she has found that claiming blackness is politically advantageous, at least on the left side of the political spectrum.
Anyone who wants to have Al Sharpton's support is beyond the pale for me but each to his or her own.
3
I’m voting young, super smart, honest, someone who understands how to dismantle Facebook and the nuclear arms race simultaneously.
My vote is for Pete Buttigieg.
3
Corporate media has highlighted Ms Harris' skills as a prosecutor, but not much else. They are banking on the only true corporate Dem. That didn't work out so well in 2016, but if Biden does "win" the primary and presidency, I'm sure they would promote her for AG.
4
Race and ethnicity matter. In the U.S., a lot.
Harris is Jamaican and Indian - American who spent a lot of time in Canada, and who has a White husband and stepchildren. She went to Howard U, a historically Black college and a good one, as well as White law school.
She is authentically "everything", near as I can tell, and a fearless, highly skilled prosecutor.
Perhaps she needs a broader professional staff handling her campaign that would include her sister and the ACLU, but more expansive as well.
As for a platform, except for Bernie and Warren, they are all just figuring it out. She needs to find her message and get it out.
She could be the woman for all seasons.
9
Harris has a problem with her 'messaging' and a big part of that lies in how she delivers it. IMO, despite her experience as a prosecutor, she is simply not as effective on TV as she has to be.
TV is important because, though the first few states - IA, NH, SC - are small enough for voters to make their judgments based on personal impressions, thereafter, her campaign will depend on TV to reach voters.
First off, TV is 80% visual, 20% hearing. The message a TV audience gets is far, far more influenced by what it sees than by what it hears. (Corollary: to get your audio message across, you have to dial back the visual input hard, or it will go unremarked.)
A TV image, broadly speaking, is based on three inputs:
1) Voice
2) Gestures
3) Presentation.
Harris falls short in all three.
- Her voice sometimes strays into the upper register, which connotes lack of control. Keep it low and modulated, Margaret Thatcher-style.
- Gestures should be controlled and with closed fingers. (Trump scores high on this.) Harris' often sweep wide or up above the shoulders, denoting excess emotion. TV prefers 'cool.'
- Keep attention on the face. Simplify the image. Harris' abundant hair and fussy collars and pockets distract.
- Finally, all-black makes her look drab and un-dynamic. A splash of color would help.
The best counter-example of how to how to use TV right to get the message across is Elizabeth Warren.
2
Senator Harris supports reparations to descendants of enslaved blacks. Any candidate who supports reparations cannot be elected according to several polls on this subject. Candidates who appear on "The View" should understand they will asked this question and be prepared.
2
Here we go again. The scrutiny of women candidates and the comments about them are negative. Yet the men as candidates who make changes in their campaign approaches are described as positive evolvers. Same old, same old.
9
She is polling at 7%, just behind Lizzy, the fate Indian, so what does that tell ya! She is going no where fast, and it's a shame that good trees were sacrificed to bring this story to the masses. How clever to attack the President, but the real fight will be to knock off your Democrat opponents first before you get a shot at Trump. Good luck with that, she has zero chance in the primary.
4
I'm so weary of these neophyte politicians - Harris, O'Rourke - who are so presumptuous as to think they are ready to run for president, unnecessarily crowding the field. I will vote for the most experienced candidate whose philosophy matches mine - and that is Joe Biden - 36 years in Congress I'm aware that Obama ran for president when only in his first term as a US Senator but I supported an experienced Hillary Clinton at that time (2008). As a Californian, I voted for Harris to be a representative of California. I did not intend for her to use my vote as a stepping stone for own own selfish ambition before she even had a chance to build a record of service to our state.
3
@stylemanYou liked Biden's support of two invasions of Iraq? You like Clarence Thomas on Supreme Court? You enjoyed the war-mongering like we saw from Biden in the Senate? Then Biden is definitely your man.
3
As a former Californian, let me just point out that being mean and obnoxious doesn't make you smart, asking pointed but empty questions doesn't make you a smart prosecutor. Behind all of her flash and "toughness," she is just a very empty candidate with no real policies other than following whatever the mob wants at any given moment. The only good thing about Ms. Harris is that Trump would wipe the floor with her in a general election.
9
Seriously??? Ok, so if we're going to talk about her "stumbles" and "resets," let's compare to what trump has actually done that, in fact, is putting us in a Nixon era Constitutional crisis.
If the press doesn't get it together for this election and makes mountains out of campaign molehills, all the while never comparing a particular candidate's "issues" with their campaign with those HUGE ISSUES that trump is having, we might as well kiss our democracy good-bye.
10
Sen. Harris needs to sit alone in a room and have a heart-to-heart conversation with herself about what she really believes, what policies she supports, and what she would do as president. Being buffeted this way and that by different groups makes her look inauthentic, and voters don't like inauthentic. We constantly heard during the 2016 primary that Hillary Clinton was being pushed to the left by Bernie Sanders. She allowed herself to be pushed out of her comfort zone into inauthenticity, and enough voters sensed that that she lost the election. Sen. Harris may suffer the same fate.
9
@CH Hillary was always inauthentic, and opportunism is what led to a shift in platform and policy. Harris has all the same signs of a politician that would essentially take any position if it seemed politically expedient.
You hit the nail on the head mentioning authenticity, because that’s what this election is about. Unfortunately, Harris has all the signs of being little more than a liability.
5
She better keep resetting, her chances of getting the nomination, much less beating Trump, are small to put it gently.
She probably understands that she has no chance but it gives her a platform to run for another position or to write a book and make $1 million like Bernie
2
Always a follower, never a leader.....excepting the Smollett case ....where she later back tracked. Just the candidate to defeat DJT.
2
Copying Joe Biden....weeks after Joe’s announcement.....is not a winning strategy for the latest waffle candidate. She supported Smollett before she was against Smollett. She waffled on impeachment and after testing the polls supports impeachment.
2
Glad to see so many other people here saying that Harris seems to be an empty suit. That's been my sense of her. No real policy expertise. Pales in comparison to Klobuchar and Warren in that regard. Too quick to throw money at problems. Also way too self-absorbed. I went to her Instagram account and noticed that most of the pictures are of her alone. As much as people might complain about Beto O'Rourke being light on policy or not progressive enough, if you go to Beto's Instagram page, it's filled with pictures of Beto with the people who come to his rallies, the kitchen workers, and just ordinary people. In this coming election, I think being a good retail politician will be invaluable (which is why Biden is doing so well and I think O'Rourke has the best chance to climb in the ranks). Harris IS NOT a good retail politician. She needs to pull the plug on the WH run, go back to the Senate, and then wait to get appointed to AG or the Supreme Court. That's a better role for her.
8
When Sen. Harris interrogates witnesses at Senate committee hearings she always shows how dishonest, self-serving, scheming and divisive she is.
(When I watch and listen to her, I wonder, how many innocent people did she jail as a prosecutor? How many crooks did she exonerate for political reasons? Hundreds or thousands?)
Her lack of integrity and extremism are no surprise.
She represents the one-party socialist sanctuary state of California where extremism, race baiting and anti-Americans win elections.
As such, Harris, who specializes in bullying, would be a wonderful opponent for Trump who is a much better communicator, liar and bully than she is.
That is the view of this Small Government Republican who didn't vote for Trump or Clinton but will vote for Trump against any of the Socialists running in the Democratic Party's presidential primaries.
36
@Donald Johnson And yet, California is the 5th biggest economy in the world, on its own, right now. Not as a state. As an entity. Gosh, remind me where Colorado is again on that list? Maybe we're doing something you should be doing out here..
18
@Donald Johnson
As a centrist your vote matters. Don't use it for spite. We both know Trump is a lousy, divisive president and that we can unite around a better direction for the country and the world. You said so yourself.
There are a wide variety of Dem candidates to choose from that don't espouse socialistic views (if you are so against them). Find a centrist candidate and support him or her. Together we can get this sideshow out of the whitehouse and the country back on firmer footing.
Thank you and have a blessed day
12
@Donald Johnson
Your repeated used of the word "socialist" and labeling of Kamala Harris as one betrays your utter ignorance of the word.
15
Senator Harris' cross examination skills may indeed be impressive; as a former prosecutor, they should be. But I fail to see what relevance that ability has to do with the job of president.
13
@Mark Kessinger. I totally agree. It seems like right after Kamala is on TV during one of these hearings, the compliant media immediately starts to crank out these fluff pieces. I’d love to see her use these so-called prosecutor skills in a debate with Donald Trump.
Kamala: “answer yes or no.“
Trump: “who is Willy Brown?”
4
@Mark Kessinger
And that disqualifies her how?
After all if she is the nominee she will be running against a mentally challenged, dishonest real estate huckster. I fail to see how anyone could be less qualified to be president that Trump.
4
I’m a fan of Senator Harris and I loved the way she dismantled Barr, but if she can’t figure out what she believes in and stands for, I won’t be voting for her. I’ve had enough of politicians pandering. I want someone I can believe in who believes in themselves and their own ideas. That’s the kind of politician who can beat Trump.
6
Whoever prepped her for the CNN Town Hall forums should be fired. She had no idea how to answer many of the questions. It's clear that she's never given much thought to most public policy issues. Her campaign should have at least prepared her to answer the questions asked of her.
12
She's my 4th choice out of the 21.
And whoever is the eventual nominee I will support.
For inspiration, Buttigieg is my top choice. Leadership and values. And yes, there are indeed policies (for those who haven't watched/listened to his media appearances:
meetpete.org).
Sanders - how can anyone not respect him for his principled consistency? His Town Hall of Fox showed how much he is on point. And I think he can beat Trump despite whatever Trump and Putin have decided to do in their last discussion.
Warren - A plan for everything. I don't find her inspirational but she knows her stuff. My fear is that Trump will manage to belittle her just enough among non-discerning people to squeak by. I hope I am wrong there. As awful as the malignant narcissist that he is, like all narcissists, in order to achieve their objectives they always develop a certain charisma. She is lacking in that regard.
Harris - My belief is that if she were indeed run by core beliefs the stumbles wouldn't matter. Expediency seems to be hers.
All the rest of the gang are intelligent, accomplished people with things to offer. And I wish they would drop out - or at least 10-12 of those polling at 1-3%.
Many of those are running just for the exposure to get hired as talking heads on cable TV and to increase their speaker fees.
In re the latter, those at the low end get $30K-$40K per speech. Bill and Hillary get $200K per speech. Nice work if you can get it.
7
@Michael M - I left out Biden. I find a lot of his voting a record and his facilitation of us ending up with Clarence Thomas awful.
If he's the nominee, I'll vote for him only because Trump has to be defeated; not for any other reason.
7
This article shows that Harris does not have any strong opinions or convictions - she is willing to sail left, center and back left again because this is where (her advisors say) the voters are. While confronting Trump seems like a good idea, the confrontation should be based on genuine convictions and political philosophy.
Torturing Barr in order to gain points for her election campaign seems both self-serving and cruel: instead of doing her job, she was promoting herself.
9
Actually, it was her studied question asking Barr directly if anyone in the administration had asked him to investigate Trump enemies that has now prompted an investigation.
6
It's unclear to me how someone who spent more than 25 years as a prosecutor all of a sudden became interested in other public policy issues. It doesn't appear that she ever gave much thought to issues outside of the criminal justice system until just a few years ago.
10
In 2003, Kamala Harris ran for District Attorney of San Francisco.
I attended one of her small "meet & greets" at Delancey Street Foundation (a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that provides residential rehabilitation services and vocational training for substance abusers and convicted criminals, reintegrating residents into mainstream society by operating various businesses. They run a *fantastic* restaurant BTW).
She was running against multiply veteran incumbent Terence Hallinan. I remember her words so clearly: "I am not in this race to lose."
Consider that she may be one of the tried Democrats like Lyndon Johnson or Bill Clinton, intent on winning, rather than losing decorously, as Democrats tend to to these days.
And then give her a second look. You don't have to "like" her, the way that Americans tend to evaluate their politicians. But I think she has what it takes to win. Anything else needed?
5
@Padonna What is needed is a candidate who has a plan to protect the environment, make healthcare and education accessible and affordable, restore Glass-Steagall and establish a livable minimum wage. Not just someone who will beat Trump.
5
Senator Harris is trying to straddle the progressive left wing liberal positions and at the same time look to be moderate to appeal to the center Democrats. Is that enough to win over the Trump constituency in the battleground states? I don't think so. She will win California being the Senator from California. Right now the Democrats are looking for a candidate who can win against Trump. Too far left, no way. Even the Republicans voters who don't want Trump would prefer someone more moderate to vote for.
Is a reset like when you have multiple campaign kickoffs because you are generating zero traction?
14
No traction action for Kamala - she stays stuck near the bottom with Beto and Booker. Playing politics in a true blue state with plenty of help from her insider friends is not a real test for national office. Harris did a lot of damage to this state.
8
Harris seems to have changed her approach to campaigning, Much more hard edged than in the past.
If these NYT writers think Ms. Harris's questioning of Barr was impressive ... It's difficult to describe how silly that is. Her questions were rambling, tendentious and pointless.
I'm not sure what's gone wrong. Harris should be the leading Dem candidate.
2
@valadd Harris blew being taken seriously during the Kavanaugh hearings- contemptuous and sneering, licking her lips in lurid delight reading the backseat rape charge from a totally bogus witness. Hard to get that image out of mind.
Harris is very gaffe prone, if you are not keeping score. Hew own parents turned on her when she alluded to all Jamaicans being pot heads.
Not ready for prime time and Diane Feinstein was the first to officially say this. Diane, her co-California senator should know. She told her to wait and, then went ahead and endorsed Biden, who was not even running. DiFi needs to be listened to regarding her very public humiliation of Kamala Harris.
9
@valadd:
Barr's hemming, hawing, and disrespect were silly.
7
@Factotum -- So glad to see someone mention that. I am certainly no fan of Kavanaugh, but Harris repeatedly intimated that she had "reliable information" that Kavanaugh had spoken to someone at Marc Kasowitz's law firm about the Mueller probe, and then ultimately failed to produce the goods. It was reckless and unethical, and I wrote her off the second she did that.
5
Insn't that what ALL corporate Democrats run on: talking endlessly about Trump?
Here's an idea: take on the wealthy donors and corporations, financial and business cartels who have basically captured our government institutions with their money (and influence peddling corruption).
That would be refreshing!
21
It is early in the game, with the first primaries not until next year, and i understand they are all marking their territory but i do not see her appealing to the centrist voters - too much pandering to the far left because of the weight of Mr. Sanders and his broad appeal to those liberals who smell blood and want to circle the President. At the end of the day, its about who can win the hearts and minds of the 'flyover' states who do not espouse far left ideals and are more concerned with someone who understands their particular plight of jobs, the economy and a good lifestyle. So far Harris has not appealed to them so far as i can tell. Perhaps she will come around in her next iteration.
1
Definitely sharp attacks on Trump is the right strategy -- but it must reach beyond just integrity and cultural issues.
Trump has been a massive failure on many things: Health care, infrastructure, controlling national debt, income inequality and upwards mobility, education, Pacific relations, European relations, etc. He could even not deliver on his own pet projects: The wall, curbing immigration, trade deficit, manufacturing.
If primaries were tomorrow Harris would have my vote. The two things she has going:
- Professional and deliberate disposition that I like in those governing me. Additionally, that has a chance of irritating Trump - one of the women he never gave a nickname to and likely even fears is Pelosi. Harris is not only from the same neighborhood but a similar type of politician.
- She is positioned between the two wings of the party more than any other candidate. There is a lack of definition maybe that some wince about but that can used to an advantage.
3
All candidates are doing resets. Even Bernie who disdained "identity politics" in 2016 is now bragging he marched with MLK along with millions of other people who don't need applause for that.
3
The dream progressive platform of Warren and Sanders is just that, a dream, or aspirational at best. The Dems need to aim for a Senate majority in 2020 or all the policy pronouncements are just hot air. That means some "moderate" or less purely "progressive" Dems need to unseat Republicans in purple states. Which also means all Dems are not going to agree with the Warren or Sanders maximum programs even if the Dems do get a Senate majority. The presidential candidate needs to make that point of overall strategy clear, and needs to explain less than maximum policy stands in that context of grounded realism.
We need a General, not a candidate being jerked around by pundits, polls and spin doctors. Warren and Sanders have already committed to programs. Harris needs to explain her apparent vacillations in the context of a big picture strategy and assume the level-headed General's role. I wish she had more experience so she could be taken more seriously in this role, but I think she's the only one in the field who can assume it. Nancy Pelosi is the only Democrat with the gravitas to play a general's role right now, but I think she is afraid of giving the young progressive part of the base the free rein they need at this point if they are to mobilize sufficient first-time-voting Millenials.
We've seen prosecuting attorney Harris, I want to see the General.
5
What a mistake to not present the agenda this country needs but instead to make an attack on Trump your focus. We all know who Trump is. What the voters want is an agenda that addresses health care, immigration, climate change, infrastructure, cyber-security, energy self-sufficiency and all else that is being ignored while the Democrats and Republicans sling mud at each other. Please recall that Ms. Clinton's campaign was more about attacking Trump than presenting an economic message. We know how that her approach did not work for this country. Ms. Harris and others are going down that same failed path.
4
@Bian Exactly. All Hillary did in 2016 was spend her time bashing Trump - and we know where that got her. Now we see most of the wannabes - doing the exact same thing. Pete throws out religion challenges - others throw out the solved Mueller report. Meanwhile, Trumps economy. ratings and successes continue to climb. He draws huge crowds where ever he goes -- some of the candidates can't even fill a room such as Beto in Las Vegas. This is going to be a repeat of 2016 only by a much bigger margin.
7
@Bian I agree. Just because Dem voters are consumed with defeating Trump doesn't mean that they want to hear a litany of attacks that state the obvious about his character, or what a horrible president he is. We can get that any day, any way.
As for appealing to voters, I'm becoming more and more convinced that the left and the middle aren't so far apart on kitchen table issues such as health care, the environment, and jobs. The rhetoric may be different, and voters will rank the issues differently. But Americans, the environment, and the world are all suffering in the same way. I don't see why it's so difficult to thread the needle here.
2
Sounds like Senator Harris made the bad judgement of hiring her sister over advisors who can speak sense. We've already got enough nepotism in the White House, this is disqualifying for me.
9
Harris is simply too angry and far left progressive to have any broad appeal... absent that the comment about entertaining the idea of giving violent criminals the right to vote basically ended her campaign...although she has not yet gotten the memo.....
10
Harris is toast. Gillibrand has her Franken betrayal (she was toast first) and Harris has reparations as her albatross. And it hasn't been two months and she's already doing do-overs? Oh lord. Trump and his putrid supporters would stomp her. We need somebody who can beat this criminal and his family into oblivion and, literally, save our nation, not talk themselves into political Gordian knots and make even a lefty like me blush with embarrassment.
8
Don’t forget she was for Smollett before she was against Smollett
2
You have my support Kamala Harris!
4
Kamela is finding that once beyond the safety of what you know, the frontier is a dangerous and unforgiving place. Biden has been out here for a long time and knows the territory. The best place for Kamela is as Joe’s running mate.
10
The only democrat I would vote for who I think could beat trump isnt running ( yet) Stacy Abrams- I like Kamala but too much emphasis on polling results and "how to get elected" rather than what do you really think and how do you really feel and what are you going to do differently, than the others? Im just sick of white dudes in their 70's running the show
2
I would like to see the Democratic ticket for 2020 be Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren.
1
Serving Willie Brown should have taught her something about nasty politics.
5
IMO -- the more you watch her the less you like her. Is she Smart or Cleaver? No sure -- she comes off as nasty .. not presidential.
Watch her on C-span .... not ready for prime time
9
I really don't buy into conspiracy theories, but is this Target Kamala Day? This article on the same day that the front page of the website features Frank Bruni's column?
I remember a couple of weeks ago when multiple comments where very critical of the way the Times seemed to prominently highlight each Dem's perceived flaws...... so many comments that the Political Editor weighed in directly.
I appreciate learning everything you can tell me about a candidate, but how about more articles about their strengths, also?
4
With intense respect for the necessity for an informed citizenry and the essential role of the daily reporting of what is what and who is who - the full array of daily happenings pertinent to daily thought - I simply do not comprehend why reporters such as Astead W. Herndon and Jonathan Martin utilize thoughtless headline language as they did regarding Kamala Harris. Read the letters in response and note how many write. "When a candidate is adjusting her views to appease ..... I doubt her sincerity and conviction." IS THERE SOLID EVIDENCE THAT Ms. Harris has "adjusted her views"? If not, two journalists place a stigma via words, just words, and like the most nasty of nasty gossip, the words spread and nobody who hears pauses to question the truth. Reflect on the game of telephone. WHY did these two reporters do the deed? More, what is the chance they will read my response?
1
Biden/Harris 2020 and then Harris/? 2024
4
A frontal attack on Trump is probably the most authentic move that any candidate can make. Isn't that what we all most want to do? And Harris has proven herself very capable both with Kavanagh and Barr. Why she is reaping such negativity truly puzzles me.
4
Totally out of her reach. She might have been an accomplished prosecutor, whatever that means, but she's in deep waters that she isn't capable of treading.
Once the newbie, fem candidacy glow wore off reality struck. America is pure as and simple sick and tired of empty suits and playing the Obama card is near suicide. That's why Trump was elected. Is that so difficult to understand?
Bumbling, stumbling, promising candidates do more to escalate their opponents stature not help their own cause. Reminds me of stories about Vanity Press.
Its amusing to see those politicians jockey for air time to keep their faces fresh while saying nothing. It's a mad rush to a bad end.
8
@Nick DiAmante
"Bumbling, stumbling, promising candidate"
sounds like a description of Trump to me
4
Kamala is hamstrung by a primary fight that doesn’t allow independents a say. That said, she is the best candidate in the pack.
4
she has my vote any day. go Kamala!
6
The main Democratic message seems to be we're good guys, they're not. We want to do the right thing, they don't. We play by the rules, they game the system. Until one of the candidates actually scores a real life victory, how can we chose one or respect any. Right now Trump, Barr, McConnell, the IRS, ICE etc. are being allowed to violate and disrespect the law. Until one Democrat assumes command and stops them, they will continue to control the government. Obviously they have the executive and judicial branches locked up for now. They also have half of the legislature. Who can stop them?
2
Who knows whether she will win the nomination but I love her attacking Trump and his minions. We have a criminal president - this is a national emergency.
7
There is too much talk about messaging and polling among her top advisers. It shows in her lack of clarity regarding important issues on which she should be able to speak very forcefully with her unique p.o.v. as a former prosecutor. Take a position and defend it.
On the flip side, progressive and centrist democrats need to get on with the fact that the eventual nominee needs to fall somewhere in between.
8
Her questioning of Barr brought her equal to Sanders and Warren in my mind.
7
Well, the rest of the country is now seeing what many of us in CA have seen for years: there’s no there there.
9
@Annie What many of us in CA see in Kamala Harris is our next president. I envisioned that future for her when she first became my city's DA and saw the steps she was taking toward the White House through the AG's office and now as one of my senators. Not only is there a there there, that "there" is formidable, sharply intelligent, empathic, & experienced. Can't wait to celebrate her win in 2020.
5
@Annie … and many of us in California are supporting her wholeheartedly.
5
@Harriet She has no national level Willie Brown to give her the next promotion.
5
Women are trusted to run the largest number of 'businesses' in the world - particularly in the United States. Those businesses are known as "FAMILY". Kamala Harris has all the right credentials to run and be elected President.
Of all the possibilities - she HAS my vote!
13
I can’t recall exactly but I believe Hillary Clinton reset her campaign twice - maybe three times. Having to reset is never a good thing.
8
The nation is in too much trouble to rely on what a candidate might become. Kamala Harris is strong in a number of ways, but she is is like a ship being blown around by changing winds not knowing quite how and where to steer herself. Or who to listen to. Without purpose, resolve and knowledge to solve the country's virulent problems, hers could well be a floundering presidency.
20
@Guernica
If you don't mind, please keep things in perspective. Trump and his servile Republicans believe in nothing at all other than power, white nationalism, and getting re-elected. All of the democratic candidates including Senator Harris, believe in the same set of important things, which the majority of Americans also agree with: Affordable health care. Infrastructure investments and jobs. Protect Social Security and Medicare from the Republicans. Better K-12 public education. Affordable public colleges and universities. Undo the tax-cut-for-the-rich. Take on the economic gap. Kick corruption (Trump) out of the White House. Protect our elections from Russian sabotage.
18
I don't see any argument here why Kamala Harris would be more adrift than any other candidate.
She's dealing with the issues at hand.
Trump, even after a few years in, is STILL motivated by his biases that date back to the 80s and his bias against President Obama.
So ANYONE would be an upgrade over Mad King Donald.
16
"Reset her campaign"? Is the argument that a candidate for President of the U.S., a job where spreading your focus across dozens of policy issues on any given day, cannot have multiple focal points of their campaign? It seems that she's not "resetting" as much as just broadening what she's about.
12
I like Harris more than Warren. Give me the ticket of Biden/Harris, and it'll get my vote and donations.
15
@tiddle
Warren knows where she is going and has a focus on where America needs to land in this insane age. And she has the depth and the policy chops to get us back on course. Harris has many strong points, but she is like a ship being blown aimlessly around the sea. She doesn't quite know what to do or who to listen to, reflecting her shallow grasp of the breadth of our problems and how they intersect with one another. This could well portend a rudderless presidency--exactly what the nation cannot afford as we sail toward the abyss.
2
@Guernica, I'm in management, and I have to say a word about leading a team. Leaders don't always have all the ideas. Good and effective leaders are the ones who assemble a strong team and be able to motivate them. The team, is the ones who did the work. Good leaders listen, and make wise choice.
And so, if you tell me, Warren has the best policy ideas, I'd tell you, she'd make an excellent cabinet member in the portfolio. But, I won't pick her as the one to lead. Heck, I can't even stand listening to her for more than five minutes, rightly or wrongly. And the few times when I read her hyperbolic supposition, manipulating stats outrageously to fit her talking her, that makes me really mad, because I truly expect a Harvard professor to do much better than that.
4
Resetting already? Was she really ready for the big jump?
6
@Ted
As READY as any other possible candidate!
Perhaps even MORE READY.
6
"calling for eliminating private health insurance and refusing to rule out letting prisoners vote, two comments she later modified."
Modified as in: I said Islanders would beat Carolina, but now I modified it, I meant would lose.
5
Harris is a strong candidate who (like the many others) is squeezed into a narrow lane of taking positions on everything and differentiating themselves from the 20+ others. This part will be tough and some very goof candidates may not make it to the starting block caucuses and primaries.
4
Harris may be too reasonable to be nominated.
4
Many of the Senators revealed themselves as shallow showboats during the Kavanaugh hearing. Ms. Harris was one of them.
36
@Scott F
what? she did an excellent job questioning him and holding his feet to the fire!
19
@Scott F I'll still vote for her, because she's Jamaican, but yeah, she looked really bad in that hearing. Not the worst, but not good. So I'll vote for her. But I am not favourably impressed with anything about her, except being Jamaican.
@krnewman,
Yes, I'm also very impressed with her being Jamaican.
2
Her most obvious problem is that she doesn't know what she believes. Lost in this analysis is the fact that voters want someone who has conviction. For Kamala Harris, her "message" on the campaign trail or twitter usually feels carefully crafted to fit what she thinks the group she is speaking to wants to hear. That approach is not inspiring.
31
Senator Harris is articulate, assertive and representative of her part of her state. She is admirable but does she have the gravitas and the base to put her in the White House? Perhaps, but maybe as vice president. Should it be Biden/Harris or Biden/? As an Independent who despises Trump for his recklessness, but who is a moderate - meaning no Bernie, we are not giving away the store to buy votes because it will cost us dearly, I believe Biden most closely approximates my beliefs even after his past mistakes. But who would make his best running mate? IT SHOULD BE THE BEST PERSON TO HELP DEFEAT TRUMP. Got it, Nancy?
3
I’m almost certainly wrong so if someone could correct me, please—it appeared to be the case that the DNC was banking on K Harris crushing it, but since she’s not crushing it, the DNC had to hit the emergency button and get Biden into the race. 2016 DNC leaked emails make me skeptical of the Harris campaign.
On a more positive note Warren 2020 seems more more real everyday!
8
@Andres Galvez
Biden will be a lead weight once his kid's Ukraine crimes surface and the Obama admin starts seeing real prosecutions for CoupGate. Harris doesn't have an influential boyfriend in D.C. and Warren still isn't a Native American. Bernie might be the only survivor and has a zero minus chance against Trump. Dems need some new talent.
5
@Andres Galvez you are not wrong. The corporate DNC is desperate to stop the Democratic party from becoming a truly progressive party working for the working class. Equally desperate is the corporate mainstream media. On the merits, there was nothing trailblazing or pathfinding in Harris' tenure as D.A., A.G. or U.S. Senator.
4
Harris is a little liberal for me -- but I dont think she's "stumbled" at all. It's way too early to say such things.
4
She could dry rebooting her campaign by being herself and not trying to appeal to the 5% of Democrats who represent the view of the Woke Scolds. Her answer in response to the question about people in prison voting was ridiculous and made her look craven. I've voted for Kamala numerous times and I did so because she never tried to be all things to all people in order to win a political race. The fact that she keeps doing so in this campaign is what's made her such a disappointment so far.
5
Kamala Harris let a black man, Kevin Cooper, sit on death row and wouldn't do DNA testing even after a survivor of the attack testified it was a WHITE man who killed the family he was with. She says she is sorry. It is only through the combined efforts of good people, not Harris, that Cooper was not executed.
26
" using her strengths as a prosecutor — which were on display during a recent face-off with Attorney General William Barr"
He questioning of Barr was incredulous, no surprise Barr was baffled.
Have you checked the underlying evidence Muller was basing his report upon? (Sure, what was Mueller was doing two years?)
Was Rod Rosenstein, the overseer of the Mueller report, cleared to oversee the report? Oh, he was?
But was he, the overseer of the Mueller report, cleared to make conclusions about report?
Did ANYONE in the White House SUGGEST you INVESTIGATE ANYONE?
Anyone, anyone, suggested, investigate.
Of course the last question is so imprecise that no normal person, especially a lawyer, would ever answer yes or no to it, as Harris demanded.
Her strengths as a prosecutor.
3
She's brilliant, tough, funny and ...Presidential.
She does have substance, great political instincts and could go toe-toe with Putin. She will work out the kinks in her campaign--give her a break!
She's gonna win...
32
What is most revealing about the situation Kamala faces is the fact that she is trying to decide what she stands for based upon what her advisers and others in the party think is best. This is because she has no experience of her own in making policy. She doesn't have many years of studying the issues, and many battles trying to get certain things analyzed and supported and implemented. So she is stuck just trying to work it out on the fly, not grounded in any fundamental beliefs. Like Bernie or not, he knows what he stands for and why. Kamala is minor league.
23
@Mr. Mark
Warren also knows what she stands for and has tons of experience and accomplishments. And is substantive enough to be president.
6
@bse
Isn't it interesting that the Californian (me) posts that Harris (the Californian) isn't the right candidate, and the Vermonter (you) reacts to a positive remark about Bernie (the Vermonter). We may each know our own politicians too well.
I agree with you that Warren is grounded in her own personal beliefs, knows what she wants and why, and has much to speak of in terms of experience and accomplishments, as you say. No question about any of that, and she is clearly far better positioned than Harris on that basis alone. However, I don't think she gets over the goal line. She has a major flaw, which is that she does not know, and does not care, how much things cost. Politicians have long sought to win votes by offering free stuff (important stuff, that all people should have, I agree), but if you can't pay for it, you don't have a viable plan or a chance to really deliver.
@Mr. Mark
Ha. It is indeed interesting about our respective candidate preferences. You also are right about the importance of costs! The country needs so much now -- affordable healthcare, etc. -- plus funding all the things Trump has tried or succeeded in de-funding. At least it is a problem all the candidates, including Trump have to address.
I worried that Warren was too firm on the left positions to win, but she has deepened her knowledge and if she can convey that she gets it about some things taking more time and thinking about the money, she could pull it off.
But I also worry when so many seem to say the country was ready for Obama but is still not ready for a woman president. Depressing and a hard thing to address b/c it is so essential to beat Trump!
2
When a candidate is adjusting her views to appease various groups of voters, I doubt her sincerity and conviction. My first impression of Kamala Harris was that there’s no there there...nothing distinctive or special about her as a candidate, no clear reason for running other than because she can.
Contrast her with Elizabeth Warren, who articulates a vision, has well-thought-out positions on a variety of issues, is not a career politician, comes across as sincere and principled, and takes bold, clear, unwavering positions, not because they are politically expedient—often they are the opposite—but because she believes they are the right thing for the country.
When a presidential candidate’s team of advisers are squabbling over how a candidate should present herself, one must wonder: Who is she, really?
46
And a reasoning for her candidacy other than she a black woman from a populous early Democratic primary state.
9
What the media missed in assessing Kamala’s chances was that she’s not a retail politician. That’s not how California politics works or how she’s gotten where she has. I wasn’t expecting her to be the Obama that people were unfairly labeling her as...
I do really like Kamala, and she’s my second choice in the primaries (after Warren). I believe she’s progressive (I view things on a continuum and not as binary) but she’s not seen as such by the progressives (“she’s a cop”)
But, If there’s something to learn from Biden’s poll numbers spike, it’s that there is a vast centrist lane with significant percentage of Democrat voters.
I expect to see Kamala, Pete, and Beto as likely shifting towards the center in coming months.
That has its own risks for Kamala: concerns of authenticity.
Not as much for the other two. Pete isn’t a progressive (doesn’t want to break Tech, not for Medicare for all, free college) can’t see how he’s one). He’s best placed to poach off Biden, even if he initially poached millennials from Bernie.
3
In other words, Kamala Harris doesn't really believe in anything.
She will believe in whatever the polls say she should believe in.
That is not the hallmark of a leader.
64
Maybe it's too early in the campaign but every Dem candidate will need to take on Trump directly at some point in the primary contest because the winner will have to do it in the general and primary voters will want to know if she or he has the stand-up mettle and technique to neutralize his bully tactics. I am reminded of Ronald Reagan's, "There you go again" with an amused smile and head shake. Candidates better be trying out some lines like that.
1
@abigail49 Mayor Pete recently demonstrated his flair on stage with his response to Anderson Cooper, “I’m not a master fisherman, but I know bait when I see it and I’m not going to take it.”
1
The Democratic Party has way too many senators trying to beat the president in 2020. We need a Democratic Senate almost as much as we need to retake the White House. Kamala Harris needs to stick to her Senate seat and make a much bigger reputation for legislation as well as excellence in committee hearings. She is a great option for 2024, but just one of many in the 2020 campaign.
12
Position a winning candidate takes on any issue must be well researched and well thought out. Having to re-calibrate you position often is not a winning strategy.
Aggressively address the income inequality. High incomes must be taxed at high rates.
Adding a public option for ACA and lowering the Medicare eligibility age progressively in steps may be more easily achievable with less disruption than Medicare for all or trying to eliminate all private insurances.
Just targeting the removal of the occupant of the white house is not enough, defeating all the Republicans from the Senate must also be an integral part of the strategy.
9
If Democratic candidate running for president do not come up with same arrogance, personal attack, name calling to him - nobody can defeat him. Good old days of good man/woman in American politics are gone. Now insults, taunts, lie, con, tax hiding, tax crime will result the candidate to win the presidency. Thats our observation for last 2 or 3 years. Good Luck guys.
5
Prosecutors don't get elected POTUS. Harris getting elected president coming from a prosecution background is just as remarkable as her skin color and nearly as remarkable as her gender. There has only ever been one prosecutor elected president: Andrew Jackson. A position he took when he was young and had absolutely no prospects outside of family connections. Not exactly a glowing recommendation.
I want to like Harris. She has more intelligence than many similarly ranked Democrats. However, she seems born under a bad star. If we're having this debate even among Democrats, we've already hit a bad omen. Plus, her being from California doesn't help anything. That's red meat for Trump propaganda.
The more subtle note is Harris is adjusting to Biden's campaign strategy. I told you Biden shouldn't have entered the race. We'll never know Harris' progressive campaign because Biden has shifted the focus to blaming Trump for everything. Thanks Joe.
10
Please keep talking about Tax Fairness. It may not be sexy, but it keeps the conversation away from identify politics and on a topic my Trump voting relatives will respond to.
7
Once again I will say, “there are far too many Dems running for president.” Twenty plus by last count. All of them need to caucus and decide on five or fewer to stay in. Harris and fifteen unknowns PLEASE DROP OUT! Don’t you all know by staying in you are splitting the party. Trump Wins! While at it pick issues that can be passed by Congress. It’s a given Trump a bad president. Fewer running, focus on issues, and not Trump. That how to win in 2020.
10
Harris does not have the experience to be President. Go get senior level experience on a national level, meet and discuss issues with foreign leaders, then come talk to me in 4 years.
20
@Bruce: Based on your requirements, only Biden is qualified to run.
3
@Traveler
Say you were going to rebuild your kitchen. You interview several people, all of whom have great ideas about what should be done. When you ask "How many kitchen rebuilds have you done? You hear "crickets". You then interview someone who says "I've done many, here are the names of people you can talk to about my work." Who would you hire?
Keep in mind that in 2020 our "Kitchen" is liable to be wrecked. This is not the time for a beginner.
3
As a subscriber and one who is so, so tired of the skewing of the news, the header is misleading. The world is weary of the onslaught of misleading sentences.
Ms. Harris needs no 'reset.'
America badly needs a reset. Away from the illegitimate person sitting in the oval office.
And, by the way, how about cleaning up the tr o l l s that are making all of this worse. They are algorithmically driven garbage meant to distract and destroy. We all know this will only be getting worse.
NYT, how about helping America. Maybe the way WaPo did in 1973.
10
@Jack black south. Desperately seeking another 'Deep Throat' are you? The FBI is at the very heart of the collusion to overthrow Trump. You'll get no satisfaction from that quarter.
2
Maybe she should move a little further to the left.
3
Biden will be the nominee. Maybe Harris will be his VP pick.
2
Senator Harris is taking on Trump. Good for her. I'm all for it. Things are going downhill very fast, here in the present universe in fact-based America.
The Democrats all agree on health care, infrastructure, etc. They should talk about all of that and they should also talk about protecting our democracy.
This voter was appalled when Sanders appeared on Fox and implicitly endorsed their pro-Trump lies, racism and fear. Why in the world did he do that? Is the white racist vote worth that much to him?
6
@Robert
Things are going downhill?
Perhaps if you define the quality of your life by the political climate. I and my family have done pretty well the last couple of years - and no, we are not 'one percenters'.
6
@ian
"... I and my family have done pretty well the last couple of years ..."
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president has lied more than 10,000 times since taking office (according to this paper and the Washington Post)?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president has governed and campaigned on the basis of lies, racism and fear?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president almost certainly obstructed justice (according to 100s of former DOJ prosecutors)?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president himself has done nothing to top ongoing and future Russian sabotage of our democratic elections?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president has been directly implicated in a campaign finance law felony?
Is it Ok with you and your family that he would already have been indicted were he not the president?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president has committed numerous impeachable offenses?
Is it Ok with you and your family that the president has said and done things that only autocrats and fascists have done before, e.g., calling the free press the enemy of the people?
Do you and your family really care so little about our democracy, the Constitution, the office of the presidency, and the rule of law? I assume by "doing pretty well" you mean you are prospering economically. Is money really the only think that you care about?
7
She needs to call out #45 for his blatant lies and false statements which are dividing the country and to call out his Republican Congressional supporters for not supporting the Constitution and uphold their oath of office.
4
Face it: none of 20+ announced Democratic candidates has what it takes to beat Trump. We need to turn to the proven candidate who already whipped him by 3 million popular votes - Hillary in 2020. I'm with her!
6
@Richard
If Trump doesn't has his "Russian backing", he is on a losing ticket.
2
This kind of confirms the impression I had of her that she has no personal values, beliefs, moral center, whatever it is that gives one a core center that one needs to be a strong leader, but that she just adopts opinions and stances that will get her the most votes, even when they conflict. That cannot be what sits in the Oval. She's a good prosecutor - that doesn't make her a good president or leader.
65
@Tracy K
If we used your definition of what makes a good leader, "is personal values, beliefs, moral center, whatever it is that gives one a core center that one needs to be a strong leader, not just adopts opinions and stances that will get the most votes, even when they conflict.
I am 66 years old. I can't think of a candidate in my "voting life" that meets your criterion of "worthy".
In despair I sometimes think the best candidate is someone under 70 years old, not a career politician, who can beat Trump. Jesus left the room a long time ago.
5
Seriously, it's a matter of 3-4 months before her campaign for the White House will crash and burn.
39
If she is "resetting her campaign" already- she is done. And using attacking Trump as her strategy has two resonances- she is not the candidate we need and she is getting very bad advice.
69
@Millie Bea Why do you use the negative-tinged word 'resetting'. Why isn't she growing her campaign - learning - why is the media always finding ways to denigrate women? Cause they sure are covering men who are not as ready to be running for President. Who have not offered policy or new ideas....
10
@Lee M
The "resetting" was used probably because that was the headline of the article.......?
4
@Millie Bea
Ms Harris is little more than a younger, darker-skinned ,updated Hillary. Always with a wet finger in the air to see which direction the wind blows is blowing. Focus groups are not a substitute for a focused primary campaign. In better times I would have said she just isn't presidential material.
But given the sad fact of the Moron of Mar-a-Lago's election, I suspect that the "unworthy of being President" meme is meaningless.
7
While I will not be voting for Trump any time soon, Ms. Harris' position on slave reparations will be a "no go" for most voters. Current U.S. citizens whose ancestors were not even residents of America during slavery will be reluctant to fund the wrongs of the past. Furthermore, history teaches us that parity keeps the peace not policies that favor one group over another with the hope that it will somehow undo a wrong or injustice. Forcing the conservative right to make reparations will only fuel more anger, hatred, and further divide our country.
83
@David
Unfortunately, there are so many groups in the US that have faced injustice and one that stands out as tantamount is what early settlers did to the Native American Indians. However, I think focusing on providing free community college for anyone that would like to go to college is a good policy. And then, consider having satellite State colleges or universities that can offer free college education by region so every student in high school knows that with hard work they can go to college at a community college for free and transfer to a regional 4 year college/university for free. Add to that the ability to obtain medical insurance for free. Those policies can give many children from families with low income a chance at the American dream of bettering themselves for future generations.
17
@Rain:After they graduate, can they can teach for free too?
5
@David I wasn't alive when the US debt was incurred, yet I am on the hook to pay for it.
Your logic doesn't hold.
7
Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren are my perfect combo!
4
@karendavidson61
Both are strong candidates for president. even though i believe many women would vote for a female president and vice president, i don't think most American males would vote for an all female ticket. maybe i'm wrong.
@Rain
I would vote for an all female team. But not a feminust one.
And we are not just males. We are men.
4
@JT
interesting.
2
Why not be accurate in your characterization of her standing as a candidate? Her support figures have been declining for the last two months, which is not a sign of stagnation but decline. According to polls tracked by RCP, she ranks 4th nationally (7%).
In South Carolina, in which blacks make up a majority of the Dem electorate, she ranks 3rd with 9%. In Texas, 7th with 3%, and in her home state of California, 3rd with 17%.
Those are not impressive figures. She is showing a little desperation to attract money and voters. Another month or two of decline, and she will drop off the radar screen.
21
Perhaps the most difficult image problem for a politician to overcome is inauthenticity. And it appears that Ms. Harris is beginning to be perceived as inauthentic. She modifies her answers based on the way the political winds appear to be blowing at any given point in time. She ties herself in knots to explain how her prosecutorial record was actually deeply sympathetic to Black interests.
Ms. Harris’ positioning appears to be limited to showcasing herself as the Black Woman candidate. She deliberately plays on her physical appearance - what most people would instinctively characterize as Black - to claim commonality with African Americans, and de-emphasizes that in fact she is of Indian and Jamaican descent and spent most of her formative years in Canada. (Note that the NYT always refers to her as “Black” and not African American, a term traditionally used to describe the descendants of Africans brought to America through the early years of the 19th century for enslavement). Ms. Harris might indeed represent the interests of African Americans, but she is no more one of them than Elizabeth Warren is Native American.
All in all, I think many voters are beginning to question what Ms. Harris actually stands for. And some of the more savvy among them also realize that her personal baggage (Willy Brown) will also add to her inauthenticity.
50
@Shiv
His name is Willie, not Willy.
Please explain how her love affair with the former San Francisco mayor and California Speaker of the General Assembly is 'baggage.'
I have yet to hear a convincing explanation from anyone about this, including people who live in far-away New York.
1
@Shiv
Harris is not biologically an African; thus, Harris is not an African who is an American national which would make her an African American. It's not that hard of a definition to understand.
2
@Dave T.,
Willie Brown is one of the most corrupt living figures in American politics. Think of Boss Tweed or Richard Daley Sr., from many years ago. This kind of "Boss" still exists, and you can believe me when I say that it's Brown who's largely responsible for the utter urban disaster that San Francisco has become in recent years.
I lived there long enough to see the decline begin and what it led to, and I know who's responsible— that black Don Corleone.
He's already got one of his hand-picked little puppets (the rather dense Gavin Newsom) in the California governor's seat, and he wants another one of them in the White House!
Is his former main squeeze Kamala going to get there? I doubt it, but beware of Boss Willie Brown, as long as he's still walking the earth.
6
Kamala Harris is a good senator for California. As a presidential candidate, she needs to find the best balance between being against Trump (not as easy as he makes it) and discussing her policy initiatives--that is what would she focus on as president. Her slogan is rather weak, "For the People". What people is she really for. She let Mnuchin slip away when her staff recommended going after him. She comes on strong as a prosecutor-style questioner in the senate, but a president is not a prosecutor. Maybe she is running for AG, if a democratic candidate is elected. I prefer her in the senate to being AG. I like Anita Hill for that job. She needs to be clearer about her proposed policy initiatives especially regarding health care. While universal health care and medicare for all are great concepts, she has to lay out how this would happen over time, not something immediately imposed as Senator Sanders seems to think.
We need strong leadership in the senate and I hope she continues to provide that. Campaigning for president should be about ideas and direction for the country and world. While she is campaigning, I want more of that. I already know that Trump is a disaster and a fraud.
5
Ms. Harris is charismatic, articulate, and energetic. There, however, the story ends. She is an empty suit. A pure political opportunist with no core. She will benefit from her mixed race background and her gender. A close look, though, at her record from her days as an Alameda County DA to her current position shows nothing other than her interest in simply climbing the ladder in whatever way she can (hello, Willie Brown).
49
Someone has to take on Trump and his corruption and his relentless undermining of our democratic institutions, especially the Constitution. Sen. Harris has demonstrated the ability to do that in the Senate Judiciary Committee and hopefully she can rally the party and the country to an anti-Trump crusade by listing his lawlessness beginning with his status as an unindicted co-conspirator (as "Individual-1" in a felony charge by the Southern District of New York). If the House Democrats are too timid to follow the Constitution and impeach Mr. Trump, I'd urge Ms. Harris to draw up a list of her "articles of impeachment." Perhaps she could unveil them one at a time over a period of weeks. As Trump's brazenness and boldness in defying the "rule of law" increases day-by-day, it's imperative to find a Democratic champion who fight back. The next election is not about "Medicare for All," income inequality, or the environment, as important as they are, but about the very survival of the Constitutional "rule of law" v. the authoritarian "rule of Trump."
2
"...But even some of her admirers say she needs to better grasp the nuances of this primary and the pragmatic nature of her would-be supporters who just want to eject Mr. Trump from the Oval Office..."
That's where I am at the moment on Harris. I like aspects of her candidacy and I am delighted to support her as a woman and a person of color. Harris has some strategic advantages in the early primary calendar (SC, NV and CA).
But Harris' candidacy feels neither progressive enough to satisfy the left nor centrist enough to appeal to folks who might be inclined to support Biden or Buttigieg.
I read her campaign book, and I attended a crowded Harris campaign event in Portsmouth NH. In both instances she left me hanging - too opaque and vague. When push comes to shove, I don't know what she is made of.
31
She may be opaque and vague but she is a woman of color. According to you that is enough reason to support her. What would you do if Condaleeza Rice and Joe Biden were running against each other? I suppose you would happily support the woman of color.
8
@willt26 - Something I never thought I'd say - I would TAKE Shop-While-New-Orleans-Drowns Ms. Rice, war crimes and all, as a serious presidential candidate for 2020. I'd consider her policies and everything. Because whatever opinions I may have about Ms. Rice's ethics, policies, theories about governing, or connections to neocon think tanks - she's at least NOT INSANE with malignant narcissism + early-onset dementia..
3
I was supportive of Senator Harris until she said she wanted to eliminate private insurance.
That's absurd.
I'm now with the remarkably more reasonable Biden campaign.
19
@Prof Emeritus NYC
Why wouldn't replacing a system which has incentives to avoid providing health care with one whose purpose is to provide health care, not profit, be a good thing?
26
@dbbecause the government was never intended - and is poorly equipped - to run any program like this. Compare FedEx with the Post Office or Amtrak with Southwest Airlines. The private sector has many ways to prevent waste, fraud and abuse that the government cannot or will not use and therein is the biggest difference of all: i.e., cost. The government, as a monopolist, cannot compete and without competition (as exists today in the health insurance business), guess who gets to pay the freight for endless waste, fraud and abuse? You and me, that's who.
11
The Government does run Medicare and the people like it. On the other hand, the private insurances are the part of the healthcare problem, when healthcare is not affordable without help from employers, that gives employers much more leverage over their employees.
11
For some reason, the calls to the Democrats, to legislate usefully vs. focus on the president, have fallen flat. And maybe that's because the Number One goal of the Dems, if they want to "make America you-know-what again," should be to eliminate the guy from office. Removing a negative is a positive. That would include gaining control of the Senate again, exposing all those "all Trump, all the time" GOP senators as mindless hypocrites. Then, perhaps, the path is really open to progressive and important legislation.
12
@Steve
They're writing great legislation. You just may not have heard of it because you're not paying attention or because laws have to be passed by the senate as well to become law. If you recall, the senate is a legislative graveyard under McConnell's thumb.
6
Harris has a lot of strengths. But the ability to act like a good prosecutor against people many Democrats loathe is a limited role.
She needs to hang her public hat on something besides wanting to get rid of Republicans.
I'm looking forward to seeing her in the debates. It will be a chance for her to show more of her stuff on more subjects. And it could also be a very good opportunity to separate herself, in a positive way, from the many men running.
32
@Talbot
Kamala is a strong candidate and should feel comfortable shouting that from the mountaintops. This president and his administration are not only corrupt and criminal but dangerous to the solvency of this country's treasury. Would you put a criminal in charge of your most precious possessions? It's time for America to stand up for the rule of law and the constitution and I know of no other candidate that can more forcefully bring that argument into the public arena. Kamala is strong, likable, qualified, outspoken, personable, well educated, intelligent and a woman. What's there not to like?
9
@Rain
What's not to like? How about trying to keep innocent men in prison because of legal technicalities? How about throwing mothers in jail because of a ridiculous truancy policy? How about the fact that she changes her opinions on major policies on a dime? Harris is far from the worst Democrat in the race, but she's also far from the best (which would be Sanders and Warren, in my opinion).
6
@Talbot, by following Trump the republicans will get rid of themselves.
2
I believe our best chance to defeat Trump is with a woman as candidate. Women generated the buzz in 2018 and can again in 2020. I believe that sadly the biggest obstacle is in many ways simply women's voices tend to be softer and are perceived as less dynamic. I think the most important aspect of a campaign is the forcefulness of speech, not so much the content. Obama's real gift was his rhetoric, he made people feel good, hopeful, when he spoke, and to me that ability is the most challenging thing for a woman candidate simply because we don't perceive women's voices that way.
5
The fact that she is moving to the left is great news. She should listen to her sister and to her dad, Professor Donald Harris more.
I want to see:
Her clear view on Medicare for all or universal coverage; corporate taxation and taxation of wealth and income of the top percent in clear, numerical terms.
If she does that well, she will compete for Bernie and Liz’s progressive votes favorably. If not she is done for. She should distance herself from Biden in clear and unequivocal terms.
She is charismatic, young and energetic. She has now to show substance. If she has it, it should be easy to display it.
10
@Blunt Moving to the left is great news for Trump.
7
You asked the best questions of Barr - so go for Trump and serve your country in this badly needed way.
15
@Tom Her questions to Barr were as effective as a screen door on a submarine so keep it up.
18
@Tom, I not only recommend your comment, I agree with you. She established that Barr did not review the evidence that was gathered during the Mueller investigation and showed Barr to be unprepared. She was quite effective.
2
@Tom -- I agree she was a very effective questioner of Barr (can't say the same about her questioning of Kavanaugh). And indeed, as a former prosecutor, that's a skill she certainly should have. But what relevance does that particular skill have to the presidency?
1